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Merissa (12889 KP) rated Twice Seduced (Sanctuary Coven #1) in Books
May 31, 2023
Heather is a non-practising Wiccan who uses her ability to see auras to help her in her career as a school counsellor. She is dating Lucas Carré, who she feels safe with as he has a green aura. What she doesn't realise is that he is a Magus Corps officer, and can change the colour of his aura at will. When she receives a summons to her sister's coven in Aspen, Lucas goes with her and then the fun begins.
This is a typical steamy novella, the type that Hazel Hunter excels in. The reason I have only given 3-stars is because there is a whole lot of stuff going on - so far there are at least three separate stories that have yet to intertwine and become a cohesive story. HOWEVER, knowing Hazel Hunter's various coven series, I have the utmost faith that this will become an intricate and fascinating story.
A good start to a new series that shows definite promise.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 28, 2016
This is a typical steamy novella, the type that Hazel Hunter excels in. The reason I have only given 3-stars is because there is a whole lot of stuff going on - so far there are at least three separate stories that have yet to intertwine and become a cohesive story. HOWEVER, knowing Hazel Hunter's various coven series, I have the utmost faith that this will become an intricate and fascinating story.
A good start to a new series that shows definite promise.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 28, 2016
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The Dangers of Gingerbread Cookies in Books
Jan 4, 2024
Star Crash
Jaine is visiting her parents in Florida for the holiday. In between watching her cat being spoiled rotten and her dad try to get his horrid gold Christmas tree set up, Jaine attends the community's Christmas play. At the end, the leading man is supposed to float off the stage, but instead he falls to his death. Considering he was a horrid womanizer, the suspects are plentiful. But who actually wanted him dead?
Outside of e-mail exchanges in every book, this is the first time we've met Jaine's parents, and I got quite a hoot out of meeting them. The series is comic in nature, and that comedy continues here. The plot kept me guessing until the end. The story was mostly populated with people we haven't met before, but they all seemed real enough to make me care about the outcome.
Do note that this is a novella, originally about 100 pages. Keep that in mind when you sit down to read it.
Also note that this was originally published in the anthology Gingerbread Cookie Murder, so check that you haven’t read it already.
But if you haven’t picked up this story yet, you are in for a treat when you do.
Outside of e-mail exchanges in every book, this is the first time we've met Jaine's parents, and I got quite a hoot out of meeting them. The series is comic in nature, and that comedy continues here. The plot kept me guessing until the end. The story was mostly populated with people we haven't met before, but they all seemed real enough to make me care about the outcome.
Do note that this is a novella, originally about 100 pages. Keep that in mind when you sit down to read it.
Also note that this was originally published in the anthology Gingerbread Cookie Murder, so check that you haven’t read it already.
But if you haven’t picked up this story yet, you are in for a treat when you do.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated A Voyage of Vengeance in Books
Aug 5, 2024
Sailing with a Killer
Duchess Jacqueline Arienta Xavier is thrilled to be joining the maiden voyage of Rose of the Sea, a luxury vessel. The voyage is also a birthday celebration for one of her friends, Lady Carriena, the future ruler of Isla DeLacqua. But Jax is surprised to find that her fellow passengers are an odd assortment of people, more for the political gain of her friend’s duchy than a true celebration. Then the weird things start happening. Can Jax figure out what is going on?
I was so happy to be back with these characters for the third novella; they already feel like old friends. While we get all the suspects introduced to us at once, it wasn’t long before I felt like I knew them well. The plot wandered a bit, but my patience was rewarded with a strong mystery and a great revelation. I also appreciated that the plot felt appropriate for the length of the story. The setting has just hints of a fantasy world to it while still being mainly about the mystery, and I love it. There are some hints at what came before, so know that going in. I enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see how the series transitions to full novels.
I was so happy to be back with these characters for the third novella; they already feel like old friends. While we get all the suspects introduced to us at once, it wasn’t long before I felt like I knew them well. The plot wandered a bit, but my patience was rewarded with a strong mystery and a great revelation. I also appreciated that the plot felt appropriate for the length of the story. The setting has just hints of a fantasy world to it while still being mainly about the mystery, and I love it. There are some hints at what came before, so know that going in. I enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see how the series transitions to full novels.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The River Has Roots in Books
Mar 11, 2025
I have deep love for a fairy tale - especially the ones that border on the macabre.
The River Has Roots is a beautiful tale of two sisters who live on the border of Arcadia (Faerie), and sing to the Willow trees twice a day in tribute to the men they once were.
The sisters are very close: Ysabel and Esther, and they always want to be together. But of course, as in all good fairytales, a man throws a spanner in the works.
The River Has Roots is a novella and honestly, if El-Mohtar wrote this as a full length novel or decided to write more such stories, I would be all in. The writing is beautiful - full on fairytale style at its best.
This gave me “The Twa Sisters” vibes, equally as tragic, but not exactly the same - you’re not getting an exact retelling. This is a story in its own right.
The Lino-cut illustrations (Kathleen Neely) throughout the book were perfect for the story, too.
There was a bonus story at the end, “John Hollowback and the Witch”, and it was a rather pleasant surprise - a fabulous cautionary tale.
This is a must-read for my fellow fairytale fans!
The River Has Roots is a beautiful tale of two sisters who live on the border of Arcadia (Faerie), and sing to the Willow trees twice a day in tribute to the men they once were.
The sisters are very close: Ysabel and Esther, and they always want to be together. But of course, as in all good fairytales, a man throws a spanner in the works.
The River Has Roots is a novella and honestly, if El-Mohtar wrote this as a full length novel or decided to write more such stories, I would be all in. The writing is beautiful - full on fairytale style at its best.
This gave me “The Twa Sisters” vibes, equally as tragic, but not exactly the same - you’re not getting an exact retelling. This is a story in its own right.
The Lino-cut illustrations (Kathleen Neely) throughout the book were perfect for the story, too.
There was a bonus story at the end, “John Hollowback and the Witch”, and it was a rather pleasant surprise - a fabulous cautionary tale.
This is a must-read for my fellow fairytale fans!
Merissa (12889 KP) rated Daddy Marc's Gem (Club Sensations #2) in Books
Apr 4, 2025
DADDY MARC'S GEM is the second novella in the Club Sensations series. Marc is a therapist and a Daddy, but a lonely one as he hasn't found his boy. Foster is an antiques dealer/restorer without a shop, in a place where he doesn't know anyone and was isolated before being dumped.
I loved how these two met and how it grew naturally. Foster has questions and needs answers before deciding - which is fair enough, in my opinion. Foster is also a sweetheart who has been dumped on by too many people and needs the love and affection Marc is more than happy to bestow on him.
Tate's story (Born Daddy) is mentioned during a conversation between Marc and Zane, who also makes an appearance with Ryan while Ty is only mentioned, so you don't need to have read book one to enjoy this one.
A short read but one I thoroughly enjoyed. Hot and spicy in places; loving, tender, and protective in others. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 26, 2025
I loved how these two met and how it grew naturally. Foster has questions and needs answers before deciding - which is fair enough, in my opinion. Foster is also a sweetheart who has been dumped on by too many people and needs the love and affection Marc is more than happy to bestow on him.
Tate's story (Born Daddy) is mentioned during a conversation between Marc and Zane, who also makes an appearance with Ryan while Ty is only mentioned, so you don't need to have read book one to enjoy this one.
A short read but one I thoroughly enjoyed. Hot and spicy in places; loving, tender, and protective in others. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 26, 2025
Broken Heart Questioned (Bella and the Beast Master #5)
Book
Solving this mystery could cost Bella and Markus everything… After being away longer than he...
Mystery Novella Paranormal Romance Post Apocalyptic
Kristina (502 KP) rated Keep Me Still (Keep Me Still, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
Holy freaking cow. This book sat on my Kindle app for the longest time. Many nights I scanned over it, couldn’t remember if I read it or not, so just avoided it all together. Lately, the eBooks I have downloaded are dwindling, so I got desperate and clicked on practically every book I owned and either hadn’t read or just couldn’t remember reading. I skimmed through a few and just wasn’t feeling it – you ever get that way, start reading the first couple of chapters in several books and just know it’s not what you’re in the mood for? Finally, I clicked on Keep Me Still, though I still couldn’t recall whether or not I had read it. The Kindle version I read had all 3 parts of Keep Me Still. Only after a couple of pages in Let You Leave (part 1), I immediately knew I hadn’t read it and that it was what I was looking for.
From the beginning, I was intrigued with Layla. At first, it sounded as if she had come back from dealing with depression or something of the sort, so I was drawn to figuring out why she felt the way she did and how she overcame it. Then I met Landen; reading his mother beg him to not get into any fights piqued my interest. Who doesn’t love a bad boy, eh? During the first few chapters, if I’m being honest, I was only interested in finding out why the school treated Layla like a pariah. Being a victim of bullying, there was an instant connection with her on that level and I was curious to figure out what could have happened to earn her the nickname “Freaky Flaherty”. Somehow, without my knowing it, that mystery fell to the wayside as I watched Layla’s guard slowly crumble enough to allow Landen in. I’m a sucker for a good romance, it’s pretty much the only thing I read, so their spark inflamed the fire of curiosity within me. I like to guess at what the catalyst will be when it comes to these kinds of stories. There’s always one and I tried my best to figure out what would tear them apart. Watching them come together, watching Layla allow Landen to tear down her walls and show her love, was amazing. Of course, then my heart got crushed when that catalyst occurred.
Immediately, I read the second part, ‘Keep Me Still’, almost with desperation. I needed them to get back together, I needed them to reconcile and let their feelings for each other obliterate all the insecurities and fears they were holding onto. To my delight, there wasn’t much of a fight when they finally came back together, but again, I was waiting for the catalyst – which was a lot more obvious this time around. The end of that section made me ecstatic, but the novella came after and I couldn’t ignore it.
The novella, Hold Us Close, slayed me. Practically from the second or third page, it took my heart and tore it into little tiny pieces, then proceeded to stomp all over it with every heart breaking moment, back to back to back. Many times I had to hold my breath, several moments left me staring at the screen in horrified shock, more often than not, I was shaking my head and mentally berating both Landen and Layla (though Landen got the brunt of my scolding). The ending – the final ending – scared the living daylights out of me. I didn’t know how it would turn out; it was shaping up to be a story without an HEA and I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Before the last page of their story, before reading Landen’s letter, the ending left me in tears. I don’t remember when I downloaded this eBook, but I do know I’m beyond grateful for all those sites that tell you when Amazon is giving them away for free – that’s the only way I could have owned Keep Me Still, because I would remember if I spent money on it, but I’m certainly appreciative to whichever e-mail I received with this title listed for free.
*PS: I really love Corin. She's amazing. Is there a novella with a little more of her and Skylar's story??
From the beginning, I was intrigued with Layla. At first, it sounded as if she had come back from dealing with depression or something of the sort, so I was drawn to figuring out why she felt the way she did and how she overcame it. Then I met Landen; reading his mother beg him to not get into any fights piqued my interest. Who doesn’t love a bad boy, eh? During the first few chapters, if I’m being honest, I was only interested in finding out why the school treated Layla like a pariah. Being a victim of bullying, there was an instant connection with her on that level and I was curious to figure out what could have happened to earn her the nickname “Freaky Flaherty”. Somehow, without my knowing it, that mystery fell to the wayside as I watched Layla’s guard slowly crumble enough to allow Landen in. I’m a sucker for a good romance, it’s pretty much the only thing I read, so their spark inflamed the fire of curiosity within me. I like to guess at what the catalyst will be when it comes to these kinds of stories. There’s always one and I tried my best to figure out what would tear them apart. Watching them come together, watching Layla allow Landen to tear down her walls and show her love, was amazing. Of course, then my heart got crushed when that catalyst occurred.
Immediately, I read the second part, ‘Keep Me Still’, almost with desperation. I needed them to get back together, I needed them to reconcile and let their feelings for each other obliterate all the insecurities and fears they were holding onto. To my delight, there wasn’t much of a fight when they finally came back together, but again, I was waiting for the catalyst – which was a lot more obvious this time around. The end of that section made me ecstatic, but the novella came after and I couldn’t ignore it.
The novella, Hold Us Close, slayed me. Practically from the second or third page, it took my heart and tore it into little tiny pieces, then proceeded to stomp all over it with every heart breaking moment, back to back to back. Many times I had to hold my breath, several moments left me staring at the screen in horrified shock, more often than not, I was shaking my head and mentally berating both Landen and Layla (though Landen got the brunt of my scolding). The ending – the final ending – scared the living daylights out of me. I didn’t know how it would turn out; it was shaping up to be a story without an HEA and I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Before the last page of their story, before reading Landen’s letter, the ending left me in tears. I don’t remember when I downloaded this eBook, but I do know I’m beyond grateful for all those sites that tell you when Amazon is giving them away for free – that’s the only way I could have owned Keep Me Still, because I would remember if I spent money on it, but I’m certainly appreciative to whichever e-mail I received with this title listed for free.
*PS: I really love Corin. She's amazing. Is there a novella with a little more of her and Skylar's story??
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Amish Nanny's Sweetheart (Amish Country Brides #2) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
This was a quick, fun read and one that I am happy to have had the chance to read. Ms. Drexler’s work is fantastic and I loved the way the story flowed. She created a perfect combination of English and Amish worlds and blended them in a way that makes the reader feel like they are right there in the center of the plot.
Judith and Guy’s characters are chiseled perfectly. An outsider looking in on the Amish world, Guy’s character was one that really tugged at my heart. I loved Judith’s character, as well, and really felt her dreams become my own. That’s an awesome feeling when that happens! The way that Judith and Guy interacted, and the way that Guy tried to fit into the Amish community, really kept the story interesting!
This is a 4 star book and I highly recommend it. The characters and the faithful inspiration and the hope for belonging really jump within the pages. Ms. Drexler is superbly talented and the research she does shows on the pages of this new release. I can’t wait to read another amazing novella by this author! Well done, Ms. Drexler! Well done.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Judith and Guy’s characters are chiseled perfectly. An outsider looking in on the Amish world, Guy’s character was one that really tugged at my heart. I loved Judith’s character, as well, and really felt her dreams become my own. That’s an awesome feeling when that happens! The way that Judith and Guy interacted, and the way that Guy tried to fit into the Amish community, really kept the story interesting!
This is a 4 star book and I highly recommend it. The characters and the faithful inspiration and the hope for belonging really jump within the pages. Ms. Drexler is superbly talented and the research she does shows on the pages of this new release. I can’t wait to read another amazing novella by this author! Well done, Ms. Drexler! Well done.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Christmas Caramel Murder (Hannah Swensen, #20) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
It’s Christmas time again in Lake Eden, but trouble is brewing for Lisa, Hannah’s partner at The Cookie Jar. Her husband, Herb, is working late every night, and his new assistant is Phyllis, his high school girlfriend. Then Phyllis is cast as Mrs. Claus opposite Herb in the community play. Naturally, when Phyllis shows up murdered, Lisa and Herb are both suspects, and Hannah must work hard to clear their names.
Those familiar with the series will enjoy a chance to check in with the gang in this Christmas novella. The book is short, just 200 pages, including a dozen recipes, and the result is that some characters are reduced to cameos or even just mentions. The story touches all the usual bases, but it is fun and works its way to a logical climax. A few scenes take their cue from A Christmas Carol, but being a fan of that book I enjoyed them although they are certainly different for the series. Most interesting to me, this was a flashback, ignoring the events of the last couple of books, and a major character from those books only appears in the wrap around prologue and epilogue.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-christmas-caramel-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Those familiar with the series will enjoy a chance to check in with the gang in this Christmas novella. The book is short, just 200 pages, including a dozen recipes, and the result is that some characters are reduced to cameos or even just mentions. The story touches all the usual bases, but it is fun and works its way to a logical climax. A few scenes take their cue from A Christmas Carol, but being a fan of that book I enjoyed them although they are certainly different for the series. Most interesting to me, this was a flashback, ignoring the events of the last couple of books, and a major character from those books only appears in the wrap around prologue and epilogue.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-christmas-caramel-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.